I often wonder what it would be like to go into space. To look down at our miraculous planet and see it as a whole. I can close my eyes, and from this viewpoint, see that the only true borders are in nature between the elements.

With crystal clarity, I can see that we are on this planet as one, and we are going to sink or swim with all of humanity.

Here in Vancouver, BC I live in one of the most diverse cities in the world. Yet daily life doesn’t reflect this cornucopia of diversity.

We have a tendency to surround ourselves with sameness. More and more we are able to choose familiar, similar, comfortable situations.  Where we exercise, which Facebook groups we join, the meet up groups we choose, the conversations we choose and avoid and the places we frequent in our spare time are all about similarity.

I’ll break it down for you.

Hey fellow yoga lover – let’s grab a vegan lunch at the raw food cafe and share our favourite essential oils.

I’m a mom and business owner just like you, let’s grab a local franchise coffee and share about our families, mompreneur life and common core values.

Or perhaps you are more like this:

We both support environmental issues and equality, lets start a group with a bunch of other like-minded individuals who do as well.

I’m an executive with my masters and work 60+hrs each week too! Let’s go to a conference with other executives to work on mindful leadership for women in business who are struggling to break the glass ceiling.

OMG, you love cross-fit too! Let’s go for a trail run and talk ketogenic diets and our favourite workouts.

These connections are all great for the soul, but they don’t provide diversity.

When is the last time you spoke politics with someone from a totally different belief system? Did you listen with deep presence and ask questions so you could understand their opposing point of view rather than waiting to speak?

Have you ever caught yourself judging and blaming someone who has done terrible wrongs and realized that you too would be willing to hurt someone if they ever crossed your core belief system with darkness and pain? I certainly have.

We are more alike than we are different.

You and I both feel suffering and pain.
Love and joy.
We all want to protect what we cherish.
We can blame and judge with the vigour and tenacity of our biggest opposition.

I am a student of A Course in Miracles. The Course defines a miracle as simply this: a shift in perception.

I won’t dive into the depths of A Course in Miracles in this post but I will share my blog. It translates much of the challenging language into digestible chunks through stories and life lessons. If big blue has ever called to you as it did to me, you can read more here.

One valuable lesson ACIM taught me was: the only thing lacking in any given situation is what I am not bringing to it.

Ouch! That’s a lot of accountability even for an accountability junkie like myself. Yet, it reminds me to keep clawing my way back to love.

Each morning.
Get up and face the day with gratitude.
Think of all the blessings around me.
Appreciate all that others have done to create the freedoms I enjoy.
Ask how I can best serve others today through kindness, generosity and love.

That doesn’t mean I am soft or a pushover.
Quite the opposite … just ask my kids … or not.

I do my best to live from my heart. My best looks very different from day to day. I am very much aware that when I live mindfully and listen, learn and understand what is going on around me, I am in a better place to connect, serve others and grow.

Judgment and intolerance are on the rise.
Silence is no longer an option.

Here are a three questions to achieve the diversity you seek:

How and who can you reach out to, that can share from a totally different perspective? Think of neighbours, random people at the coffee shop or co-workers and start a a conversation out of curiosity and genuine interest in them and their story.

Next time someone starts to make you feel frustrated or angry, ask yourself, what are 3 things I like or admire about this person … or one if it is really dire. Feel your state of being soften and your mindset shift in that moment. You’ll have a miracle on your hands soul sister.

When you read something divisive, ask yourself, “What can I bring to this situation to spread my core values in a way that can be seen, heard and felt by others who do not share my perspective?” Knowing what would soften the “fight” within your own heart is a throw down for another miracle.

Just like business, staying focused on the big picture and not getting burdened in the heat of the moment can produce massive wins and growth for you. For all of us here on planet earth.

Up-level your results and write down the answers and assign actions steps to them. Writing things down gets them on the calendar and these actions steps support whole hearted decision making.

To quote the great and late Wayne Dyer,

Loving people live in a loving world.
Hostile people live in a hostile world.
Same world.

Until next time, be fabulously YOU.

your Coach, Lisa